Traffic crash absorber

ABSTRACT

Traffic crash absorber containing several vehicle tires, at least approximately coaxial to a geographic axis, above each other and connected in a stack. Connection bolts which extend in an axial direction are arranged between the lower and the upper tire, to hold the traffic crash absorber together. The absorption properties and the possibility for a secure linkup of several such traffic crash absorbers can be improved by at least two of the lower vehicle tires in the stack having extended openings, to form a chamber including more than one tire width, and by providing the void between the remaining tire sides with annular filling elements which have generally sideways holes for the connection bolts, so that in a compressed state, an annular cushion is formed, and at least one of the connection bolts forms a fastening for a connection element for connection of several traffic crash absorbers.

The invention relates to a traffic crash absorber according to thepreamble of claim 1. The term “traffic crash absorber” relates to animpact-absorbing element which is used as a combined separating elementand an impact absorber for collisions, for the location at roadwayswhich are used by motorized vehicles, particularly cars. In addition, itcan have a marker function.

BACKGROUND

In certain situations, e.g. during road construction and during theclearing up after an accident, it is necessary to direct the trafficalong temporarily changed roadways. For this purpose, conical elementsof rubber or plastic are often lined up on the roadway near to this.These conical elements, which mainly serve as warning elements, arerelatively light and are of a low height. In this way, the conicalelements provide no protection to persons on the inside of the elements,in relation to the roadway, e.g. road construction workers.

To increase the safety of persons in a road traffic situation like this,mobile traffic crash absorbers are proposed in SE patent publication 502091, which are manufactured from vehicle tires which are stackedtogether and at least partly joined, and which are manufactured with thedisk-shaped annular sidewall parts from vehicle tires. The mentionedtire parts consist, according to an embodiment, of the profile section(the central part) and one of the two sidewall parts (side part) of avehicle tire. The annular cavity which is bounded by a tire—i.e. of itscentral part and the sidewall part—is partly or completely filled byseparated, disk-shaped sidewall parts which are separated from thevehicle tires and which have an outer diameter which fits the profilepart of a cover part.

The traffic crash absorber according to SE patent publication 502 091,in which the tire parts with the arranged sidewall sections are mutuallyconnected by means of multiple threads which each—with basis from thetire part at the bottom—is arranged sling-shaped through areas of thetire parts, and which is taken out at the upper tire part. The two endsof the thread forms a fastening device for belts or similar, whichprovides the holding of the entire device together.

A disadvantage of the prior art traffic crash absorber is firstly, thatthe manufacturing takes a long time and is relatively difficult, as thesaid thread must be arranged in a relatively complex sling movementthrough the actual parts of the tire parts. A further disadvantage ofthis traffic crash absorber is that it has no fastening that can preventthe traffic crash absorber from rolling, e.g. when hit.

The most serious disadvantage with this traffic crash absorber is,however, the low impact absorbing ability, and the problems withobtaining a secure linkup.

Finally, the traffic crash absorber according to SE patent publication502 091, is neither providing protection for persons located behind thetraffic crash absorber, nor is it able to carry a traffic sign, areference sign, or similar.

From U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,853 (Way et al. 1974) it is known to provide atraffic crash absorber where several vehicle tires are stacked and fixedtogether with fastening bolts which extend axially through abutting tiresides. This configuration provides a traffic crash absorber which hastoo low absorption ability at collision. Besides, it is not suitable forthe mounting of traffic signs and similar.

From U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,798 (Braverman 1997) it is known to use avehicle tire as a base for a telescopic columnar traffic marker. Thisbase has low absorption ability, and is exposed to damage by collision.Neither can it serve as a carrier for traffic signs.

From U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,368 (Yunik 1997) it is known to fasten severalrows of stacked vehicle tires by joining a base plate and a coveringplate. Each vehicle tire is covered by a cover. This increases theconstruction costs and makes it less stable. Here the absorbing effectis satisfying, but with the sacrifice of mobility, which is important ata temporary facility.

From GB patent application 2 303 396 (Roadtex 1995) it is known tofasten a traffic sign to a sleeve which is carried by a spider fastenedto two vehicle tires being joined. The joining of the tires is unstableand the absorbing effect is low.

OBJECT

The main object of the present invention is to provide a traffic crashabsorber having better functional properties than the generally usedtraffic crash absorbers.

The novel traffic crash absorber should also be easily connectable ingroups of several traffic crash absorbers, so that more extensiveabsorbing structures for use at roadways can be created. It is desirablethat a linkup like this, of several traffic crash absorbers, has a highabsorption ability for collision, so that they can be used in aneffective manner in current traffic and provide protection, both for thevehicles and persons, and objects located in the area to be protected bythe traffic crash absorbers.

It is a further object to provide such a traffic crash absorber whichcan be manufactured in a simple and quick way.

Further, it is an object to provide a traffic crash absorber which asfar as possible is manufactured of cheap materials, which are easilyaccessible.

A further object is to provide such a traffic crash absorber which doesnot roll when hit.

Finally it is an object to provide a traffic crash absorber which, in asimple way, may serve as a carrier for a traffic sign, a reference signor similar.

THE INVENTION

The invention is described in claim 1. Various features and details ofthe invention are described in the remaining claims.

The invention provides a traffic crash absorber having particularlyfavourable utilisation properties. The combination of a low centre ofgravity, high mass, and solid fastening by linking up, has provided atraffic crash absorber which has substantially improved propertiescompared to prior art absorbers.

The design of the connection elements, as described in claim 3, providesparticularly good properties at collisions.

Further, the invention makes it possible to combine the favourableproperties of a traffic crash absorber with the function of carryingtraffic signs or similar, by means of the features described in claims6-8.

Further features and details of the invention will appear from thedescription of examples.

EXAMPLE

The invention will be described in more detail with references to thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a traffic crashabsorber according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the traffic crash absorber of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view, seen from above, of the traffic crash absorber ofFIGS. 1 and 2, and

FIG. 4 is schematic sectional view, seen from above, of the three joinedtraffic crash absorbers according to FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1-3 shows an example of a traffic crash absorber 11 according tothe invention. It is assembled of three vehicle tires, particularly usedones, which are stacked with a common, generally vertical axis,consisting of a lower vehicle tire 12 for support against the ground, acentral vehicle tire 13 and an upper vehicle tire 14.

The lower vehicle tire 12 has a downward facing tire side 15, and a cutaway tire side which provides an extended upwards facing opening 16which extends towards the edge of the tire side surface. The centralvehicle tire 13 has a corresponding downwards opening 17 and an upwardsfacing tire side 18, which forms a support against the complete uppervehicle tire 14, which has a lower tire side 19 and an upper tire side20.

The three vehicle tires 12-14 are held together by four bolts 21, 22,23, 24 (FIG. 4) which extend from the underside of the lower vehicletire 12 and above the lower tire side 19 of the upper vehicle tire 14.The cavity between the two tire sides 15 and 19 are filled with rings 25of tire sides which are cut from used vehicle tires. The bolts 21-24 arefixed by an upper nut 26 which presses a sleeve 27 against the tire side19. At two of the bolts 21, 22, the end of an arm 28, 29 respectively,is held between the nut 26 and the sleeve 27. The arms 28 and 29 form amutual angle of 90°, and jointly carry a vertically arranged tubularsleeve 30 which connects them. The tubular sleeve 30 may serve as aholder for a traffic sign or similar. For fastening of a traffic signwith a tubular support bar, this is guided through the tubular sleeve30, and it has a lock screw 31 on the side.

Between the lower vehicle tire 12 and the central vehicle tire 13, atriangular bar bail 32 is arranged, where a side 33 extends inside thetraffic crash absorber 11, between and beyond two of the bolts 21-24,and the two other sides 34, 35 join to form an outer bail part 36. Thebail part 36 partly serves as anti-roll securing in case onefree-standing traffic crash absorber, according to the invention, shouldbe hit or tip over. The bail part 36, besides serving as a link forseveral traffic crash absorbers adjacent each other, is shown in FIG. 4.This is done by a locking element 37. Each bar bail 32 has ends, joinedby welding as shown by numeral 38 (FIG. 4).

As the lower part of the traffic crash absorber 11 is filled with tiresides 25, the stability and the ability of energy absorption duringcollision is increased, due to increased mass. All joining elements,with the exception of the protruding bail part 36, are arranged insidethe outer surface of the traffic crash absorber 11, which providesprotection against damages during collision, breakaway etc.

Except for the bolts the annular sleeve with the arms, and the twotriangular bails, waste materials, which generally would providerecycling or destruction problems, can be used. The traffic crashabsorber, according to the invention, provides better utilization ofused vehicle tires than prior art solutions, which also have inferiorproperties.

The most important advantage of the invention is the possibility ofcombining high absorption abilities and a safe linkup. A linkup oftraffic crash absorbers, according to the invention, has been tested bythe collision of a vehicle with a weight of 1700 kg, and a speed of 70km/hour, without failure and with satisfying absorbing properties.

It is possible to provide different modifications of the details shownin the example above. For example, it is possible to stack more thanthree vehicle tires and connect them by the described method. A trafficcrash absorber according to the invention is characterised by simple andquick manufacturing, and the possibility of performing a simple repairor reconstruction.

1. A traffic crash absorber (11), for use at roadways for boundaryseparation and protection, containing several vehicle tires ofapproximately the same diameter connected to each other in a stack, atleast approximately coaxial to a geographic axis, above each other andwhere connection bolts (21-24) which extend in an axial direction arearranged between the lower and the upper tire, to hold the traffic crashabsorber together, characterized in that at least the lower two vehicletires (12,13) have extended openings (16,17), to form a chambercomprising more than one tire width, that in the void between theremaining tire sides (15,19) are provided annular filling elements (25)which have generally sideways holes for the connection bolts, so that ina compressed state, forms an annular cushion, and at least one of theconnection bolts (21-24) forms a fastening for a connection element (32)for connection of several traffic crash absorbers (11).
 2. A trafficcrash absorber according to claim 1, characterized in that the fillingelements (25) are tire sides, particularly cut out of used vehicletires.
 3. A traffic crash absorber according to claim 1, characterizedin that in between the two lower vehicle tires (12,13) in the stack, atleast one bar bail (32) having a protruding bail part (36) is arranged,which forms a roller stop and a fastening element for linkup of severaltraffic crash absorbers, as the bar bail (32) grips around at least oneof the connection bolts (21,24).
 4. A traffic crash absorber accordingto claim 3, characterized in that at least the bar bail (32) gripsaround two adjacent connection bolts (21,23).
 5. A traffic crashabsorber according to, claim 3, characterized in that it comprises twobar bails (32) which protrude with diametrically opposite bail parts(36).
 6. A traffic crash absorber according to claim 1, characterized inthat at least one connector bolt (21-24) carries a radial inwardlyprotruding support arm (28,29) with a fastening element (30) for atraffic sign.
 7. A traffic crash absorber according to claim 6,characterized in that at it comprises an arm (28, 29) which is held bytwo connection bolts (21,22) and which carries a tubular sleeve (30) forthe fastening of a traffic sign or similar.
 8. A traffic crash absorberaccording to claim 7, characterized in that the two support arms (28,29)form a mutual angle of 90°, and carries a tubular sleeve (30).